Parma Ham & Green Bean Salad

Yes, the food is great. Yes, it’s nice to eat outside, but do you know the best bit? I don’t have to cook!

My husband is obsessed with the barbecue. So at least once a week, when it’s nice (and occasionally when it’s not!) we have one. They are meat heavy affairs, with a splash of colour provided by a couple of salads on the side! I obviously want to pull my weight, food wise, so i try and come up with a couple of tasty sides. However, what I don’t want to do is spend ages prepping a salad.

This salad ticks all the boxes; looks pretty, taste great and is quick to make. If you have never cooked Parma Ham on the barbecue, you must do so……… immediately! It becomes super thin, crispy, bacon. Salty, light and delicate. Perfect to top a salad.

You can have this salad cold but I prefer it warm. All you need to do is boil the green beans and the rest is done on the barbecue!

Feeds 4:

2 bags of Aldi fresh green beans

1/2 lemon

Drizzle of olive oil

30g Parmesan cheese

Pack of Aldi Specially Selected Parma Ham.

Salt & ground black pepper

Put the green beans in a saucepan (these may need to be trimmed, depending on which ones you buy) and cover in boiling water. Simmer for 4 minutes. Tip into a colander and leave to cool a little.

In the meantime put the parma ham on the barbecue. Put them around the outside so that they are not in the hottest part. Keep a close eye on them as they will only need 1-2 minutes on each side. When they have started to darken and stiffen a little, take them off. They may still seem a little floppy, but they will crisp up in seconds of coming off the heat. Do not be tempted to leave them for any longer!

Put the green beans in a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Season generously with salt and ground black pepper. Mix until coated.

Arrange the parma ham on the green beans and grate the Parmesan cheese over the top.